Up Close
by Petchricor
Summary: GLaDOS finds that seeing Chell test up close is different than through a camera


**Random thought process  
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 **Anyway, enjoy~**

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When Chell had found GLaDOS rotting in the bowels of Aperture, the AI had been practically gleeful at the sight of her, because as far as GLaDOS was concerned this little annoyance could do anything she set her mind too, whether that be destroying the facility or otherwise, so if she decided that she was gonna go up there and stop Wheatley, then she was gonna do it and nothing had better get in her way. Chell could save both of them and the facility, and GLaDOS knew that without any doubt in her mind.

There wasn't any work to get done or things to really think about, so most of what GLaDOS did was watch Chell work from her spot on the end of the portal device, and as GLaDOS watched Chell solving the puzzles she found that she had a new found awe for the test subject, a respect at how brilliant she was at this stuff. The concentration in Chell's face was always present during testing.

As time went on GLaDOS started to notice things about Chell, little things in her expression or her movements. Like the way she pursed her lips together when she had to do something that could put her life in danger to solve the test, the furrow of her brows when something hadn't quite yet clicked in her brain, how they flew up and she smiled, a fire in her eyes, when she figured out what she had to do, and of course there was how her eyes moved to-and-fro over every test they encountered, scanning it before even moving a step closer.

And her movements were what humans might call angelic, she flowed with the propulsion gel, leaned into the repulsion gel, when she used momentum to shoot through a portal she seemed to fly, and every time she had to land hard against a catwalk she was steady and firm, as though she never doubted the sturdiness for a second. She was confident in herself and her abilities at all times, it was amazing to see up close.

As they neared the end of their journey, GLaDOS started to notice other things too, outside of how Chell tested, and was intrigued by them. Such as the way Chell's eyes landed on her whenever GLaDOS spoke, that small bit of a smile when GLaDOS said something Chell seemed to find humorous, or how she grinned when GLaDOS defended her against Wheatley's accusations. When Wheatley was being an idiot Chell would roll her eyes in annoyance, but there was also the tiniest of smiles tugging at the edge of her lips, or when he was being mean she would glare at his monitor, looking very hurt and like she might start crying, though she never did.

GLaDOS had figured out that she was Caroline a long time ago, and that she was Chell's mother as well. Chell was the daughter of Cave Johnson and Caroline, and it showed. Her determination, her hardheadedness, her genius, and her passion, she was a lot like her father. But when she smiled or if she laughed silently, which was only on occasion, then she was Caroline. The satisfied smirk when she finished a test or outsmarted Wheatley when he thought he was being clever, that was her mother too.

But the thing that caught GLaDOS off guard, almost startled her in fact, was when she saw Chell snap. It happened when they were standing on the podium before that stupid screen, spiky plates all around them. She had seen the fire in her eyes from testing, but this fire was different, this fire was pain and fury and malice, this fire was directed at someone instead of something. As they moved closer and closer to Wheatley's 'lair', GLaDOS noticed that this fire didn't fade, perhaps even grew. She found herself wondering if that was the look Chell had the times she had killed GLaDOS too, that hatred and pain. GLaDOS found herself wishing she hadn't.

In the end, GLaDOS deleted Caroline, her human bits gone. But she found that the awe and respect for Chell hadn't faded, the knowledge of just how strong and smart she truly was...it would never go away. So, GLaDOS freed her. Let someone else see how amazing her little test subject was, let human beings see that passion, that genius...and even that bit of kindness Chell had. She found herself hoping they were as awestruck as she found herself becoming.

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 **And that's a wrap!**

 **Thanks for reading, please review and have a bow chicka bow wow day~**

 **Petchricor, QotG, signing off ;)**


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